TFC Republic Weekly: October 28-November 3
Toronto FC's important off-season rolls along with some very big roster decisions looming large for GM Jason Hernandez.
Welcome to the latest edition of TFC Republic Weekly, an email newsletter that will land in the inbox of both paid subscribers and free members of TFC Republic every Monday.
This newsletter will look at what's in store over the next seven days for Toronto FC and offer a glimpse of what to expect at TFC Republic in the coming days.
So, without further ado...
Fate of 13 Toronto FC players still be decided
Thirteen players on the current TFC roster are in the option years of their respective contracts. GM Jason Hernandez has until the Nov. 27 deadline to decide which players from the list he wants to bring back and who to cut loose. But he hinted earlier this month during the club's end-of-year media availability, otherwise known as locker clean out day, that announcements could come much sooner.
TFC Republic expects the club to make an announcement about the 13 players early this week, possibly as soon as Monday.
The players who are out of contract are: Alonso Coello ($94,049 US salary in 2024), Kobe Franklin ($100,518), Kevin Long ($277,500), Shane O’Neill ($413,000), Prince Owusu ($807,500), Greg Ranjitsingh ($94,202), Brandon Servania ($602,708), Luka Gavran ($74,868), Deandre Kerr ($105,319), Aimé Mabika ($133,125), Tyrese Spicer ($73,901), Kosi Thompson ($100,260), and Luke Singh ($147,966).
Toronto FC has the potential to gain some valuable salary cap space and clear up a few roster spots, so Hernandez has some very important decisions to make that will go a long way in helping him oversee the club's off-season rebuild.
Important off-season dates to remember
With TFC coming off a disappointing campaign, this off-season is going to be one of the most important in the team's history. Club management will have to make a series of moves in order to improve the roster and set things right for the 2025 MLS campaign. With this in mind, here are some important off-season dates to circle on your calendar.
Nov. 27 is the deadline for all MLS clubs to decide which players will have their contract options exercised. Thirteen TFC players will be in the option years of their contracts for 2025: Alonso Coello, Kobe Franklin, Kevin Long, Shane O’Neill, Prince Owusu, Greg Ranjitsingh, Brandon Servania, Luka Gavran, Deandre Kerr, Aime Mabika, Tyrese Spicer, Kosi Thompson, and Luke Singh.
Dec. 9 is when the MLS half-day trade window (9:00 am to 1:00 p.m. ET) opens up after a three-month freeze. MLS clubs can start tweaking their rosters by making trades with other teams across the league.
Expansion club San Diego FC will become the 30th team in MLS in 2025. But before that, San Diego will get to pick up to five players during the MLS Expansion Draft on Dec. 11. TFC have to determine which players to protect and which ones to leave unprotected.
MLS free agency begins on Dec. 12. Free agency eligible players are out-of-contract and option-declined players who are at least 24 years old and who have completed a minimum of five years of service in MLS. On the same day, the end-of-year waivers process begins. The waiver process pertains to players whose options were not exercised and who are not eligible for free agency or the re-entry process.
The MLS re-entry process kicks off on Dec. 13 with stage 1, while stage 2 is on Dec. 19. Essentially, this applies to MLS players who are out of contract (or had their option declined) but are not eligible for free agency.
The 2025 MLS SuperDraft on Dec. 20 will consist of three rounds.
CPL playoffs continue this week
Forge FC is down, but not out. The two-time reigning champions of the Canadian Premier League dropped a 1-0 decision at home to Cavalry FC in an ultra-tight contest in Sunday’s semifinal playoff match.
A first-half goal from Tobias Warschewski, the Golden Boot winner as the top scorer in the CPL regular season, was the difference for Cavalry before an announced crowd of 6,521 at Hamilton's Tim Hortons Field.
By virtue of its victory, Cavalry will host the CPL Final on Nov. 9 at Calgary's ATCO Field. Because of the CPL's unique playoff format, Forge has not been eliminated. Instead, it gets another chance and will play Atlético Ottawa at home in the semifinals on Nov. 2. Ottawa beat York United in the quarter-finals on Sunday via a penalty shootout after the teams played to a 2-2 following 120 minutes in the nation's capital. York defeated Pacific FC 2-0 at home earlier in the week in the opening game of the playoffs.
Forge is looking to win a fifth CPL crown — and third in row — in its sixth playoff appearance. Forge won the league title in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023, and finished as runner-up in 2021.
“There’s a reason this team this year has been the top team in this league,” Forge coach Bobby Smyrniotis said after Sunday's loss.
“There’s a reason this club has been the top club in the CPL for the past six years. You’ve got to have that confidence, but nothing is guaranteed. The story just doesn’t rewrite itself, you have to write it, so it’s what you put into it, the effort you put into it, and sometimes it’s not going to work out the way you want. That’s football, that’s sports.”
The winner of the CPL Final will lift the North Star Cup as 2024 CPL Champions and earn a berth in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.
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Stories to look out for at TFC Republic
Thirteen TFC players will be entering the option years of their contracts this off-season, which means GM Jason Hernandez has a lot of important decisions to make. Last week, we had a feature story looking at the 13 players and their chances of having their options picked up. The news is expected to drop this week on the fate of the those players, and TFC Republic will have an in-depth analysis piece when the club makes a public announcement.
Other stories that will be published later this week include:
- My column that makes a case for Toronto FC keeping Lorenzo Insigne around.
- My “Random Thoughts on TFC” column.
- Part 2 of our "TFC year in review" series looks back at the month of March.
- A new instalment in our TFC flashback history series.
- Another edition of the reader mailbag.
- Post-game coverage of the CPL playoff semifinals between Forge FC and Atlético Ottawa.
- And much more!
TFC Republic mailbag
TFC Republic will feature a regular reader mailbag column where I answer questions from subscribers about Toronto FC and Canadian soccer in general.
I'll answer the best questions submitted to me by TFC Republic readers, so feel free to drop me an email at jmo1897@gmail.com. You can also reach out to me via Twitter.
(Top photo courtesy of Lucas Kschischang/Toronto FC)
TFC Republic has a comments section! At the very bottom of every story, there is a feature where you can post your comments, so be sure to share your thoughts and views.
